(Lawrenceville, Ga., Jan. 16, 2018) – Gwinnett County is opening a public warming center due to the extreme cold expected this week. Hopewell Missionary Baptist Church has agreed to open its doors at 4 p.m. Tuesday at 182 Hunter Street in Norcross.

Wind chills below zero degrees are expected in the metro area on Tuesday and Wednesday nights. Emergency Management Director Greg Swanson said, “It’s going to be too cold for homeless people or anyone without adequate heating to be outside or in vehicles. They’ll need a place to warm up, and the kind folks at Hopewell have stepped up to assist.”

Swanson stressed that this is not a Red Cross Shelter but a temporary refuge from extreme cold for those who may need to drop in for warming. It will not provide sleeping accommodations, food, medical care or pet sheltering. Minors should be accompanied by an adult.

Hopewell has room for about 300 people in its warming center, and Gwinnett County will monitor the capacity. The Emergency Management office is coordinating the necessary supplies and volunteers.

County crews will begin pre-treating roads and parking lots at 5 p.m. Tuesday to reduce icing at critical facilities such as police precincts, fire stations, fuel sites, water facilities and the Gwinnett Justice and Administration Center. Next in line will be roads and bridges where icing has been a problem in the past.